Eugenio Cardinal Pacelli celebrated Mass on Tues, October 27, 1936 in the majestic Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, Minnesota. At that time, he was the highest-ranking Vatican prelate to visit the United States. Catholic high school students were bused in for the Mass, attended by 3,000 youth. Also present were Catholic nurses and seminarians, along with many clergy and several bishops.
In the back of the church was a young high school student from De La Salle High School in Minneapolis, the future Monsignor Richard J. Schuler. Years later he met Cardinal Pacelli - Pope Pius XII - in the Vatican after his election to the throne of St. Peter. Standing next to the young Richard Schuler was his friend, the future Msgr. Robert L. Probst, a student at Cretin High School. Both were ordained priests together on Aug. 18, 1945.
My grandfather was also present at the Mass, Robert D. Western, a cadet in his junior year at Cretin High School. His friend Richard G. Pates was also there, the father of a future bishop. A great many Catholic youth were present to pray together and receive the blessing of Cardinal Pacelli, soon to be Pius XII, the wartime Pontiff long remembered as the "Pope of Peace."
Cardinal Pacelli was an important figure. As papal Secretary of State, he was number two after the pope. Known for his calm demeanor and aristocratic figure, Pacelli spoke some English. His voyage to the U.S. was his first and last. He crossed the country, earning him the nickname "the Flying Cardinal." From October 8 to November 6, he visited cities across the country, including New York City, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, South Bend, St. Paul, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and more.
Minnesota was the center of the Liturgical Movement in the United States. The Mass was a Missa Cantata, a development of the movement, with no deacons. The choir was of men and boys. Per the usual custom for Low Mass with a Prince of the Church, four priests served the Mass, with four lit candles on the altar.
The local host was Archbishop John Gregory Murray, the Archbishop of the Diocese of St. Paul. He, too, was a keen follower and early promoter of the Liturgical Movement, that was headquartered at the nearby St. John's Abbey, also located in Minnesota. Below is an image of Archbishop Murray. He had lived in Europe when he studied in Louvain (Leuven), Belgium. He and Cardinal Pacelli spoke French.
The Cardinal processed from the bishop’s manse across the street (built in 1887 and sadly torn down in 1959). He was regal looking in his red cardinalatial ferraiolo cape, a cardinal of the Church being a rare sight in the Upper Midwest. The entrance hymn was ‘Ecce Sacerdos Magnus.’ There was no sermon. However, the Cardinal spoke a few words in English from the pulpit before the start of Mass.
Cadets from the College of St. Thomas and St. Thomas Military and Cretin High School formed an honor guard, seen below. In typical fashion, with white gloves they carried U.S. and Papal flags, and led the procession.
The event was reported in the student newspaper at St. Thomas, The Aquin, seen below.
Below are images of the visit: the arrival at the airport.
Happy faces: the recessional after Mass on the front steps of the Cathedral. Archbishop John Gregory Murray, the Archbishop of the Diocese of St. Paul, looks on with a serene smile.
These images were taken by the local Catholic newspaper, The Catholic Bulletin:
Below are two AI images of the event.
Following are images of the main altar of the Cathedral of St. Paul, then and now. The altar remains nearly the same today. However, in 1941 a small white marble apparatus with a mini ciborium was added behind the tabernacle. This was intended to frame the monstrance for the 1941 Eucharistic Congress that was held in St. Paul. It was not until 1958 the cathedral was formally consecrated, once the construction debt had been paid off.
Below are images of the Victorian era brick and sandstone bishop's episcopal residence where the Cardinal spent the night. Built in 1887, the historic 3-acre estate was called the Amherst H. Wilder Mansion. In 1918 it was acquired by the Diocese of St. Paul and for forty years the archbishops lived here. Tragically, this gem was torn down in 1959 by order of Archbishop William O. Brady, who preferred something new and modern.
Below can be seen an image from the dining room where Cardinal Pacelli dined with several visiting bishops upon his arrival. The house had fascinating design elements, including a 3-story outdoor balcony overlooking downtown. In addition, it had an interior upstairs loggia at the top of the stairs, clearly influenced by the Italian Renaissance in Florentine style.
Following the Mass, the Cardinal left for nearby Holman Field, his motorcade driving through downtown St. Paul. He departed for San Francisco on his chartered United Airlines flight, aboard the UA Boeing 247, the first modern airline. Also with him was William Patterson, President of United Airlines. Bishop Spellman also accompanied him along with the Pope's attendant/valet, Count Enrico Pietro Galeazzi.
Thus ended the Cardinal’s two-day visit to St. Paul. Within three years Cardinal Pacelli was Pope Pius XII.
Apparently when priests who were there met him in the Vatican and recalled his visit, the Pope made mention of how he recalled the peculiar odor in the air that in those days occasionally came from the stock yards in South St. Paul (where cattle were harvested). It was a distinct smell of blood that depending on the breeze that day, would carry the scent across the city.
During the National Eucharistic Congress held in St. Paul in 1941, the Holy Father gave a radio address to the crowd in which he recalled his visit five years before.
Many great ones have visited this lovely cathedral, including Bishop Fulton Sheen many times (he lived in St. Paul for 2 years from 1917-1919). Cardinal Tisserant came in 1947. Mother Teresa came the first time in 1966. And even Cardinal Ratzinger visited in 1984.
This beautiful church is today the National Shrine of St. Paul. Thousands visit every year and it remains a significant pilgrimage destination. Ten years after the visit of Cardinal Pacelli, a bronze plaque was put up near the pulpit to commemorate the memorable day.
Venerable Pius XII, pray for us!
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